2007

So here it comes. Another year.

This one will be about, above all, living life well. Whatever that means to me with regard to love, writing, coaching, money, spirit, relationships, and physical and emotional health. It will be about travel and art and intellectual expansion and flowers, sometimes all of those rolled into one. It will be about continuing to appreciate "the view" and the joy in moments. It will be about giving liberally and receiving graciously.

So much to look forward to.

Happy Birthday

So yesterday was my birthday. Eventful one, I'd say.

-- Received a fabulous red Gerbera daisy and a beautiful purple flower (not sure what kind, but it rocks) in a clay pot. Brings a feeling of life to my intimate world.

-- Found out first thing in the morning that a dear friend who's been wanting to adopt a baby got one!!!!!!!!

-- Saddam Hussein was put to death.

-- Discovered, with the urging of a friend, that I was born on a Friday night. Kind of cool to know.

-- Received a thank you note from my mother expressing appreciation for going the extra mile for her birthday.

-- Had great company for a delicious Italian dinner complete with live opera in The Village. AND, had four opera singers belting out a rendition of Happy Birthday that will live in my memory forever.

-- Not too shabby, eh?

Hummingbird

Went to Target for the post-Christmas bargains. Made out like a bandit. Was strangely drawn to a bright blue hummingbird ornament for my tree. Decided to just go with it, maybe it means something. So I looked it up on a website that gives the meaning of animals:

Pure love and joy
Celebration of life
Beauty, wonder, agility

A pretty nice sentiment for the New Year.

Strand-ed

Seems hard to believe that I had only been to the Strand bookstore once a number of years ago before venturing in there today. What a great way to while away a few hours.

I wandered from section to section, marveling at the number of people trying to get their hands on that special find in the form of the written word. I found a few of my own.

Treasures made of paper.

More on Umbertina

Still reading Umbertina and enjoying it immensely. A favorite sentence:

She saw the Italian women, how sure they were of themselves; and she despised her soft, round childish face and Italian-American uneasiness.

There is so much astute information loaded into that sentence. Let's leave it there.

Tidbits

Christmas 2006:

-- Rich in family and tradition

-- Two children who are truly bright lights

-- Sparkle and light

-- Delicious, well-prepared food

-- Some quality downtime with Mom

Back to real life ...

Family time

I'm psyched about the weekend ahead. Some last-minute prep for Christmas, Mom's 70th birthday on Sunday, the niece and nephew's faces on Christmas day. Good food, warm house.

Merry Christmas.

Bearing gifts

Gifts of Godiva and Riesling and music.

Gifts of thoughtful, touching words written in cards.

What a day.

Umbertina

I am reading a novel called Umbertina by Helen Barolini. I'm only 60 pages into it, but I am captivated by it. It's about three generations of Italian women and I am currently reading about the first, whose story takes place from 1860 to 1940.

She grows up in the hills of Italy, among the goats. But then she marries and has three children and eventually emigrates to the United States. The details of the passing have me wondering about my own relatives who made that courageous and difficult trip. It is so absorbing.

Stay tuned ...

Health

So many people in my generation are losing parents. This year that has really been a resounding theme. So scary to me.

But what is even more frightening is when my friends' spouses start having health scares. One friend's husband is being treated for prostate cancer. Last night I found out another friend's husband had a heart attack yesterday. The terror in her voice rocked me to my core.

Blessedly, he has been given a positive prognosis and she considers this a big, fat Merry Christmas. Blessedly.

Sugar rush

The cookies are baked. Mom and I spent the better part of yesterday laughing and mixing and almost collapsing, but they are done and we feel immense satisfaction.

So now there are pecan coconut chocolate chip, hazelnut chocolate chip, Michigan rocks (dates and walnuts), thummies (strawberry, raspberry, peach), walnut balls, secret 'kiss' cookies. So good. All made with music playing in the background, some old, some new, some lively, some mellow.

Some things are just worth the effort.

Wisdom

Received one of those email forwards today. Usually I delete them. I liked today's so I passed it on. It's wisdom courtesy of Anthony Robbins:

ONE. Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.

TWO. Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. As you get older, their conversational skills will be as important as any other.

THREE. Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want.

FOUR. When you say, "I love you," mean it.

FIVE. When you say, "I'm sorry," look the person in the eye.

SIX. Be engaged at least six months before you get married.

SEVEN. Believe in love at first sight.

EIGHT. Never laugh at anyone's dream. People who don't have dreams don't have much.

NINE. Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.

TEN.. In disagreements, fight fairly. No name calling.

ELEVEN. Don't judge people by their relatives.

TWELVE. Talk slowly but think quickly.

THIRTEEN. When someone asks you a question you don't want to answer, smile and ask, "Why do you want to know?"

FOURTEEN. Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

FIFTEEN. Say "bless you" when you hear someone sneeze.

SIXTEEN. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

SEVENTEEN. Remember the three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and responsibility for all your actions.

EIGHTEEN. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

NINETEEN. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

TWENTY. Smile when picking up the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.

TWENTY-ONE. Spend some time alone.

Outlook

The sentiment on my paper cup at Panera today:

Wishing you a cup half full.

Yes ...

The gardener

I was sitting in a cafe with my laptop, writing my monthly life coaching newsletter (http://nancola.com/pages/newsletter.html) with much diligence and concentration. After polishing it and sending it, I sat back and let out a sigh of relief. A guy sitting on the couch across from me said, "Tired?"

I laughed, said, "No, just relieved" and from there proceeded to have a delightful conversation. It seems Benicio -- very easy on the eyes, incidentally -- is leaving the world of teaching math and physics for gardening and landscaping. He's moving to Atlanta to start a business and I am confident saying, after about 15 minutes of conversation, that his business will boom.

This is a guy who lights up when he talks about taking a drab housefront in Short Hills to beautiful brilliance. One woman didn't think she had enough space for a fountain, but always dreamed of having one; he found a way to give it to her. He even took discarded shrubs and things and made a pretty spot outside his own apartment in Jersey City. The whole time he spoke, I was struck by how alive he is.

There will be some dazzling gardens sprouting in Atlanta real soon. Trust me.

Plant life

The "day" job is right near the plant district in Manhattan. Occasionally I veer off my usual route and stroll through the flowers and plants and trees in the morning. It's surprisingly soothing to be among all that life and prettiness.

This morning there were lots of choices of Christmas-tree shaped greens. So fragrant and lush.

A good start to the day.

Carded

Had a really fun stroll through a few stores today. Needed to finally buy my holiday cards and a design I saw at Bed, Bath & Beyond several weeks ago was calling me.

And what snazzy cards they are! A wonderfully creative expression for me each year, to pick just the right ones.

Time to get writing ...

Four

My brother called to tell me Il Divo is on NJN. I write this while there is a break in the concert.

How stunning it is to hear the four of them in tandem. Each song begins sweetly, it seems, and builds to a thrilling crescendo when they unite. Their voices are pure power and beauty.

Watching them brings me back to seeing them live with Barbra Streisand at Madison Square Garden. That same power washed over us with intensity and volume.

And let's just say it. They're easy on the eyes.

Now that's entertainment.

'Tis the season

A cold, fun day on the move in Manhattan. The tree, the windows, the bustle.

Tonight my cozy apartment envelopes me, my Christmas tree soothes me, my tired body thanks me for resting it.

Amen.

Hear the angel voices

Sometimes the familiar begins to sound new.

Last weekend my sister was excited when she heard Josh Groban's version of O Holy Night for the first time this holiday season as we drove to our shopping destination. It's a stirring rendition.

Yesterday as I walked home from the PATH station in the afternoon I noticed the church bells were playing O Holy Night and it was filling the air with such a pleasant atmosphere. So rousing.

Earlier this week I wiped tears from my eyes as Il Divo performed its version of O Holy Night on The Oprah Winfrey Show. I subsequently went out and purchased the CD today.

O Holy Night has never sounded so fresh.

Red and green

Sometimes there is nothing like a salad made of steamed asparagus, cucumber, divine Campari tomatoes, celery, black olives and green olives with a balsamic vinaigrette to make me want to sing.

So good. So nourishing. So bright.

Delight.

Girls Fight Back

Took a self-defense class tonight. What a physical and emotional workout. Erin Weed of Girls Fight Back is an amazing teacher and tireless advocate of helping women be safe. Once again I feel fortunate to know her.

Basically she helped us put some "tools" in our "toolbox" to pull out in unsavory situations. We had to try each move she taught us and really learn to improvise where needed. There is a certain amount of self-consciousness involved in executing the moves, but it gets easier and more empowering the more you do it. Hope to never need them.

Rock on.

The two R's

I am suddenly overwhelmed by all the books I want to read, mostly on my own shelf. Kind of cool, but daunting, too.

It inspires me to spend more time reading when I'm doing other mundane things. To be sure to have a good book while riding a train or sitting in a waiting room.

I love these times. The reader is logically a writer. If reading, then more writing.

A nice cycle.

Even

Took a major hurdle in stride today.

Darn proud of it.

Darn proud.

The Dream Book

I was prompted this weekend to pluck The Dream Book off my shelf. It is a collection of writings by Italian-American women. I bought it about 10 years ago after taking a Creative Writing tutorial with a wonderful woman at the University of Michigan.

The essay that serves as an introduction is a wonderful explanation of how the experiences of Italian-Americans, particularly women, have shaped who they are and how it comes through in their art. Much of it stems from their Italian ancesters emigrating to the United States and finding that while it was a wonderful place to start a new life, its Anglo ways made them feel like outsiders.

A sampling of some of its more powerful lines:

-- Learning gave one ideas, made one different; all the family wanted was cohesion.

-- Italian American women have had a hard time overcoming inner blocks to creative expression because they were not empowered, as female children, to be independent.

-- ... Being at the heart of things, it is [Italian American women] who, breaking the silence imposed on them by family loyalty, are best suited to make literary use of the material implicit in family struggles. What provides the thematic material is, ironically, the greatest obstacle to the writing.

The book is rich in observations like these. Validating and illuminating for a thinker like myself.

Very merry

It's been a week of friends and conversation and wine. Kind of a nice kick-off to the holiday season.

Since cutting back the gift-giving a few years ago, Christmas has become so much more fun and meaningful. There's no harried moments referring to a list, gritting teeth through crowds. It's more about taking in the sights and sounds. Taking time to smell the roses, so to speak.

Jolly good.